Geranium plant named ‘Wesvilsu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘Wesvilsu’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; large single red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wesvilsu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wesvilsu’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Ivy Geraniums with large flowers with attractive coloration.

The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2001 of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number 01P06, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number 01P16, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Wesvilsu was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2002 shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wesvilsu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wesvilsu’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Ivy Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Large single red-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have shorter internodes than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have smaller leaves than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have more intense red-colored         petals than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have longer internodes than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium     -   3. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have larger flower umbels and         larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have lighter red-colored         petals than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Ville de Paris, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Ville de Paris in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were smaller and had shorter         internodes than plants of the cultivar Ville de Paris.     -   2. Plants of the new IvyGeranium had darker green-colored         lateral branches than plants of the cultivar Ville de Paris.     -   3. Plants of the new IvyGeranium had larger umbels and flowers         than plants of the cultivar Ville de Paris.     -   4. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had more intense red-colored         petals than plants of the cultivar Ville de Paris.

Plants of the new IvyGeranium can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Decora, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Decora in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were smaller and had shorter         internodes than plants of the cultivar Decora.     -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had darker green-colored         lateral branches than plants of the cultivar Decora.     -   3. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had larger umbels and flowers         than plants of the cultivar Decora.     -   4. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had more intense red-colored         petals than plants of the cultivar Decora.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new IvyGeranium.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Wesvilsu’ grown in a window box container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower umbel of ‘Wesvilsu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Wesvilsu have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown during the summer in containers in Südlohn, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20 to 25° C., night temperatures ranging from 16 to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 3,000 to 50,000 lux. Plants used for the photographs were about four months old and plants used for the description were about eight months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Wesvilsu. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number 01P06, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number 01P16, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at 20° C.             Winter: About 14 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About four             weeks at 20° C. Winter: About five weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright, outwardly spreading, trailing             and eventually cascading plant habit; uniformly mounded;             densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous growth habit. Freely             basal branching habit; lateral branches developing at             potentially every node.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 22.7 cm.         -   Plants height, to top of foliar plane.—About 12 cm.         -   Plant length.—About 70 cm.         -   Main branches.—Length: About 60 cm. Diameter: About 4.3 mm.             Internode length: About 5.5 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             137B overlain with N199D.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 36.8 cm. Diameter: About             3.75 mm. Internode length: About 3.9 cm. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 137B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; simple. Length:             About 4.1 cm. Width: About 6.4 cm. Shape: Palmately-lobed.             Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate; open. Margin: Lobed; undulate.             Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; leathery. Texture, lower surface: Slightly             pubescent; leathery. Color: Developing and fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, 147A. Developing and             fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, 146A.             Zonation pattern: Not observed. Petiole: Length: About             3.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 147A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Red-colored flowers; single rotate             flowers arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising             from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed above the foliage             on strong peduncles. Flowers face upright to outwardly;             flowers mostly flat. Flowers not persistent. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—About 18 to 21 flower buds and open             flowers per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden in Südlohn, Germany, flowering is continuous from             April until frost in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about eight to ten             days on the plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on             the plant.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 11.1 cm.         -   Umbel height.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.4 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Close to 146A to 146B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About 2.5             to 3.1 cm. Width: About 1.3 to 1.4 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate.             Apex: Slightly emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety             to satiny. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: 45B; venation, 53A or N79B; color becoming closer             to 53C with development. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: 44A to 44B; venation, 53A or N79B to N79C;             color becoming closer to 78D with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About nine to ten in about two             whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 146A to 146B.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Strong; wiry. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             146A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 3.3 cm.             Diameter: About 1.6 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 146B overlain with 166A to 166B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About seven. Filament length: About 1 to 4 mm. Filament             color: N155D. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther width: About             1.5 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther color: 45C. Pollen             amount: Moderate to abundant. Pollen color: 32A. Gynoecium:             Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1.3 cm. Stigma diameter: About 4 mm. Stigma shape:             Five-parted. Stigma color: 59A to 59C. Style length: About             5 mm. Style color: N155D. Ovary length: About 5 mm. Ovary             diameter: About 2.5 mm. Ovary color: 136D.         -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from 5 to     30° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Wesvilsu’, as herein illustrated and described. 